Mandolin Meander
The Mandolin Meander Bridge is a sculptural sky walk that pays homage to the previous historical bridge and features Durapalm, a sustainable palm tree wood product, for the treads. The bridge will be used by students of all ages reentering the forest and learning about natural history. Custom cast concrete pillars add gravity by anchoring deep into the earth and will age well in their mossy home.
This creation was an epic collaboration among several creators. The custom-cast concrete pillars were designed by Andrew Holder, 3D rendered by Marianna Munguia-Chang, and then fabricated using CNC molds by Daniel Ticker and Carl Dietrich (associated with Concreteworks). “The end goal was to let nature in, not just creating visually beautiful shapes but to let moss and other forest creatures reclaim bits of concrete, make their homes, and claim the pillars as part of the forest itself.”
The other unique collaboration was with Durapalm who makes a variety of palm architectural products used here as the treads of the bridge. Palm lumber has traditionally been considered unusable, even though tons of trees are cut down every year on farms that produce coconuts, dates, and the like. When diverted from disposal or the burn pile, and in conjunction with eco-conscious farming, palm lumber is a substantial step toward more sustainable wood products and more beneficial livelihoods for farmers.